Admiral Christophe Prazuck, Chief of the Naval Staff, French Navy visited India from 6th to 9th January 2019 in conjunction with the Raisina Dialogue held on 8th and 9th January 2019. He was accorded a ceremonial reception at South Block. As per the MoD press release, the visit aims to consolidate bilateral naval relations between India and France, as also to explore new avenues for naval cooperation. During his visit, French Navy Chief held bilateral discussions with Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chairman Chief of Staff Committee and Chief of the Naval Staff and other senior officials of the Indian Navy. A range of issues of mutual interest to both navies, encompassing maritime operations, training, logistics and maintenance were discussed during these meetings. The Indian Navy cooperates with French Navy on many fronts, which include Bilateral Naval Exercise ‘Varuna’, Interaction on Aircraft Carrier Operations and in generating Maritime Domain Awareness through the medium of Security Dialogue and Staff Talks. In addition, ships from both navies make regular port calls at each other’s’ ports.

2. ACQUISITION OF BULLETPROOF JACKETS FOR SOLDIERS

Raksha Rajya Mantri Dr Subhash Bhamre in a written reply to Rajya Sabha intimated that a contract for capital procurement of 1,86,138 Bullet Proof Jackets (BPJs) has been signed with an Indian vendor on 9th April 2018. Delivery of the BPJs would commence from April 2019. These modular jackets will provide tremendous protection and flexibility to the troops who have to operate in varied operational conditions of India and boost their confidence. Procurement of defence equipment is a continuous process based on threat perception, operational challenges, technological changes and available sources to keep the Armed Forces in state of readiness and equipped with modern weapon systems.

Pic Source: Wikipedia

3. REPUBLIC DAY NATIONAL CADET CORPS (NCC) CAMP 2019

Vice President of India Shri Venkaiah Naidu formally inaugurated the National Cadet Corps (NCC) Republic Day Camp 2019 at Delhi Cantt on 7th January 2019. He was presented a ceremonial ‘Guard of Honour’ on his arrival at the venue. Speaking on the occasion, he complimented the efforts of NCC, in grooming the youth of the country and its contribution towards ‘Nation Building’. A total of 2,070 Cadets including 698 girl cadets drawn from 29 States and seven Union Territories are participating in this Camp, which would be culminated with the Prime Minister’s Rally on January 28, 2019. The cadets attending the Camp will be participating in a number of activities, like cultural programmes, national integration awareness and institutional training competitions. Raksha Mantri, Raksha Rajya Mantri, the Chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force and other dignitaries will also pay visit later. As per Director General NCC, Lt Gen P P Malhotra, NCC has enrolled 55,400 students from Left Wing Extremism region, spread from states of Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and border areas since 2010.

Pic Source: DNA

4. WING COMMANDER GAJANAND YADAVA CREATES 4 NATIONAL RECORDS

As per the Indian Air Force tweet (@IAF_MCC) dated 04th January 2019, Wing Commander Gajanand Yadava has created four national records in the field of wingsuit skydive jump on that day. The records include:

(a) First ever wingsuit skydive jump from high speed aircraft (An-32) in India.

(b) Highest wingsuit jumps from an altitude of 24,400 feet.

(c) Night wingsuit jump from 8,000 feet.

(d) The only jumper in India to undertake high altitude night wingsuit jump from 12,000 feet, opening chute at 3,000 feet after doing wingsuit flying for 9,000 feet.

Wing Commander Yadava is also created with creating a record by jumping from an aircraft with twin flags measuring 30x20 feet earlier.

Pic Source: @adgpi

5. ARMY DAY CELEBERATION

Indian Army will be celebrating its ‘Army Day’ on January 15, 2019. The Army Day is celebrated every year, to commemorate Field Marshal KM Cariappa (who was a Lieutenant General then) taking over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army from General Sir Francis Robert Roy Bucher, the last British Commander-in-Chief of India.

6. ARMY MOUNTAINEERING TEAM SCALES MT BHANOTI (WINTERS)

The Indian Army vide its tweet January 04, 2019 has intimated that a 27- member Indian Army mountaineering team, successfully carried out the first recorded winter ascent of Mt Bhanoti (5645 Meters), located in the Sunderdhunga Glacier of the Kumaon Himalayas.

7. ARMY CHIEF VISITS CHAINPUR IN GUMLA DISTRICT OF JHARKHAND

Chief of the Army Staff General Bipin Rawat visited Chainpur in Gumla District in Jharkhand, the native village of Lance Naik Albert Ekka, who was posthumously awarded Param Vir Chakra for his bravery during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. He paid homage to the martyr and felicitated Smt Balamdina Ekka, widow of Lance Naik Albert Ekka and other war widows. During the visit, the Army along with the civil medical authorities organized a medical camp for the ex-Servicemen and local villagers.

8. ARMY RESCUES STRANDED TOURISTS FROM NORTH SIKKIM

Raksha Mantri Smt Nirmala Sitharaman appreciated the efforts of the Indian Army soldiers in rescuing tourists stranded due to heavy snowfall in Lachung Valley in North Sikkim. 150 stranded tourists have been rescued during unprecedented snowfall that cut off Lachung from the rest of the Sikkim.